Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Confessions of a Non-Profit Leader: I do NOT do it all

I get asked pretty darn regularly, "how do you DO it all????" between running 3 non profit projects and being a single mama to 3 littles, people act surprised by what I can do.

Honestly, sometimes I probably love that. It feeds into my secret wish to do it all.

I want to be able to do it all.

I often push myself. shame myself. blame myself for my inability to do it all.

I wish I could cook amazing dinners, design pinterest worthy craft projects for my kids, keep a perfect house, have a rock solid body, run 3 non profits, change the world, walk with the wounded and be a fabulous friend, sister, daughter, granddaughter and eventually wife.

Wanna know the truth?

I can't do it all.

I don't do it all.

In fact, I eat ChickFilA a LOT instead of cooking dinner.

My kids don't have amazing, healthy, beautifully packed lunches. They eat at school (gasp, I know).

No crazy pinterest projects around here (unless, of course, I am doing it to raise money for Uganda).

And today...I bit the bullet and really began to walk out the truth that I am not even supposed to do it all.

For months, my parents have been practically begging to help me in this one area.

My mom and dad have both told me over and over and over again, "there are things that ONLY you can do, Brandi. Everything else, let someone help with those things."

Still, I hesitated. Wasn't I SUPPOSED to do it all?

Wasn't I supposed to be able to do whatever was on my plate + keep a clean house + make dinner every night + be an amazing mama?

nope. I can't do it all.

So today, wanna know what happened?

Someone - actually 4 someones - came and CLEANED MY HOUSE.

Yep. My parents hired a housekeeping service.

I am beginning to sink into this truth that I can't do it all. That what I do...is enough.

I can't do it all. And I shouldn't. I should only do what I am called to do and give up what I can give up or what I'm not called to do.

So, yep. I will run 3 non profits. I work nearly 16 hours a day on this (yeah, I know that isn't super healthy). I will be an amazing mama. I will walk with people in hard places. Everything else? I'm going to let it be ok that I'm not the best at those things.

Confessions:
Someone else cleans my house.
My laundry is in a basket waiting to be folded.
Dinner is often take-out.
I didn't work out today.

And that's ok.

I will do what I can do. Nothing more. Nothing less. Because guess what? It's enough.

No super heroes here. Just people - doing what they can with what they have. And that's enough.

2 comments:

Amen! Hire that stuff out! Your parents are right - you have got to do what only you can do. Only you can be your kids momma. Only you can lead the organizations. And God has gifted you and given you a story to walk with people in hard places, and that's another piece that only you can do. Keep up the great work!

I definitely encourage you to prioritize running or yoga or whatever else as well, because someone else can't run for you. It's your body, your health, so that's another "only you" area of life.

I've been doing this principle in my job and it is SO helpful, but I've gotta say, SO HARD for people like us who actually like doing it all. It's not easy, but YOU ARE WORTH IT! :)

In the midst of not doing it all, you need to post an updated pic of your babies:) I still cherish the time we spent together and think of you when I catch my tattoo in the mirror. I am glad you are out there changing the world. And someone cleans my house as well. And we eat way too much takeout as well. You continue to be amazing!

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About Me

I am me. Beautifully broken, wonderously healed, scandalously loved, me. I am passionate about loving Jesus and others extravagantly and living life poured out. I want to stand in awe and wonder at our God and pursue Him like crazy. I want to live in scandalous grace. I want to hope beyond what's reasonable and watch Him move mountains. I want to be me and let Him be Him and LIVE. I love freedom in the way that only those who have lived oppressed can truly appreciate. I long for freedom and justice and hope and healing for not only myself but for every precious, wounded soul that I love. I am an enigma in mamy ways and don't fit in many boxes. I am me.